Last year, detectives from Australia's Victoria state flew to the Vatican, where 75-year-old Pell agreed to be interviewed over allegations of sexual assault, police said.

A police statement on Wednesday said investigators have since received advice from Director of Public Prosecutions John Champion, the state's top prosecutor, on the sexual assault investigation.

Police have not made that advice public.

"Detectives from Taskforce Sano will now take time to consider that advice," the police statement said. "As with any investigation, it will be a decision for Victoria Police as to whether charges are laid."

The allegations involve two men, now in their 40s, who say Mr Pell touched them inappropriately at a swimming pool in the late 1970s. At the time, Mr Pell was a senior priest in Melbourne.

The Catholic Archdiocese in Sydney, which issues statements on Mr Pell's behalf in Australia, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. But Mr Pell has previously said he never abused anyone.

Pope Francis has declined to address the accusations against Mr Pell, saying he wanted to wait until the investigation was complete before commenting. "We must wait for justice and not make judgments ahead of time," the pope said last year.